Tournament Talk: Upcoming horse racing tourney's, weekend recap & big winners

It's time for our horse racing tournament talk. We will gather every week to discuss last weekend's tournaments, assess upcoming tournament potential and congratulate our weekend winners. Join us as we bring you everything you need to know about tournaments. 

INDEX

Horse Racing Tournament Weekend Recap

The highlight from last week in TwinSpires Tournaments was the Saturday KDBC Qualifier at Fair Grounds for Risen Star day. 

There were 78 entries in that qualifier, meaning six KDBC seats were up for grabs! The leaderboard had a tight finish with 12 players converting their $400 starting bankroll into at least $1,900.

This weekend's horse racing tournaments' big winners

In the end, the six KDBC seats went to Justin Dannelly, Kevin Lux, Matt Miller, Michael Saletta, Mike Somich, and Chris Cupples. Drake Muir got a consolation of $1,200 in addition to his $2,341.30 ending bankroll for finishing seventh. 

Below are some more of our winner shout outs, including Matt Blanchet, Sara Campbell and Rocco Cusat.

Upcoming Tournaments

This weekend highlights the last chance to win a trip to Vegas for the NHC through TwinSpires. The $1,000 Oaklawn KDBC/NHC Qualifier on Saturday will give away two NHC seats and two KDBC seats at 42 entries.   

Live-Money Contest Talk: The Leaderboard Show with HHH Racing Podcast, Episode 15

General Tournament FAQ

How do horse racing tournaments even work?

Horse racing tournaments operate differently than standard parimutuel betting. Instead of wagering against the track's house pool, players compete against one another to earn the highest bankroll or point total within a specific set of races.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TOURNAMENTS

What are the different types of horse racing tournaments?

Feeders: Low buy-in, with a primary goal to win entry to a larger, more expensive, tournament.

NHC Qualifiers: Competitive, with the primary goal to earn a spot at National Horseplayers Championship.

Cash Games: The entry style is direct with the goal to win a percentage of the total entry-fee prize pool. 

How do you bet on horse racing tournaments?

Betting on horse racing tournaments is quick and easy through TwinSpires with plenty of ways to bet. 

• Click on any of our tournament lists that showcases upcoming tournaments.
• Check out our tournaments tab in the top menu navigation
• Or simply click here to discover everything you need to know about tournaments! 

What are the rules of horse racing tournaments?

• Most tournaments fall into two categories:
  • Mythical Bankroll: Utilizes a mythical budget that does not use real money.
  • Live Bankroll: Uses real money and your bankroll to place real bets. 
• Regardless of format, which are Mythical Bankroll versus Live Bankroll, these general rules still apply.
• Mandatory vs. Optional Races
  • Mandatory means you must place a bet on specific races. 
  • Optional means you have the freedom to choose which races to play from a provided list to reach a required total. 
• Wager Types: Most contests limit you to specific bet types. 
• Deadlines 
  • For Pick and Pray contests, selections must be locked in before the first race of the day.
  • Live formats can usually adjust your pick up until post time of each individual race. 

These are general rules for Tournaments. CLICK HERE TO VIEW TWINSPIRES TOURNAMENT RULES!

How do horse racing tournaments work for beginners?

• Entry Fee & Buy-in: Players pay a fee to enter. This money goes into a prize pool (minus a small fee for the tournament host).
• Selection Process: Players choose their horses for the designated races via online platforms (like TwinSpires) or on-site at a track.
• Scoring: Your "bankroll" increases based on the official results of the races. For example, if you pick a horse to Win and it wins, you add the $2 win payout to your score.
• Leaderboard: A live leaderboard tracks scores, allowing players to see how they rank against competitors.